AsiaNet 83906

SINGAPORE, May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Tessa Therapeutics (Tessa), a clinical-stage cell therapy company developing

next-generation cancer treatments, today announced that Jeffrey H. Buchalter

will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer, and Goran A. Ando will become

Chairman of the Board, with immediate effect. Current Chairman of the Board Teo

Ming Kian has stepped down with effect from 1 May 2020 and Co-Founder, Andrew

Khoo, will remain as a member of the Board.

"Since its inception in 2012, Tessa has accomplished significant success in its

goal to develop next-generation cancer cell therapies," said Mr. Khoo. "As the

Company now progresses into the next phase of development of our lead

therapies, it is important to make a leadership transition with demonstrated

experience in these areas. The appointments of Jeff and Goran – both of whom

have a wealth of biopharmaceutical development expertise – put Tessa in a

position of strength for our future growth. I am confident that under their

leadership, Tessa will continue to deliver innovation and value to the global

oncology community."

"Tessa has come a long way to where it is today," added Mr. Teo. "Thanks to

the pioneering spirit and passion of its people, Tessa has built a strong

foundation of technologies and manufacturing capabilities with a clear

objective of treating cancer by harnessing the immune response. I have the

privilege of collaborating with this wonderful group of people, working

together to overcome obstacles and position Tessa for further growth. Building

a company with this ambition is a journey. I have every confidence with the

new leadership team to bring Tessa to greater heights and become one of the

leading cell therapy companies in the world."

Dr. Ando commented, "I am grateful to Andrew and Ming Kian who have built a

strong foundation for Tessa and I recognize the tremendous achievements they

have created for the Company. Together, they brought Tessa to the precipice of

being a leading creator of pioneering cancer therapies, and Jeffrey and I look

forward to continuing their work and bringing their vision to life."

Mr. Buchalter said, "This is an exciting time for Tessa as the company moves to

advance its clinical and research pipelines and complete construction of its

own GMP manufacturing facility. I am excited and honored to be leading this

company through its next stage of development."

Mr. Buchalter joined Tessa as an independent Board director in March 2019. He

has led a distinguished career in the biopharmaceutical industry, spanning over

30 years. He previously served in various chairmanships and as Chief Executive

Officer of both private and publicly listed companies, including Archimedes

Pharmaceuticals, Enzon Pharmaceuticals, and Ilex Oncology, Inc. Prior to that,

he served as Group VP/Head of Worldwide Oncology Franchise at Pharmacia &

Upjohn.

Underscoring his industry leadership, Mr. Buchalter received the American

Cancer Society's Joseph F. Buckley Memorial Award for his commitment to cancer

control. He also served as Chairman of the Board of Directors to the National

Childhood Cancer Foundation in the United States.

Dr. Ando joined Tessa as an independent Board director in April 2018, bringing

over 35 years of experience as one of the most experienced and respected

leaders in the global pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Ando currently serves as the

Chairman of the Board for Eyepoint Pharma and has been a Senior Adviser to

leading specialist healthcare investment group, Essex Woodlands, since 2007. He

is also the retired Chairman of the Board of Global Pharmaceutical Company,

Novo Nordisk A/S.

Dr. Ando has previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of Cell Tech

Group PLC, one of the most successful European biotech companies, until it was

acquired by UCB Pharma for $3 billion in 2005. Prior to that, he was Executive

Vice President and President of R&D of Pharmacia Inc.

About Tessa Therapeutics

Tessa Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the

development of cell therapies for a broad range of cancers.

Tessa's fast-growing clinical pipeline includes two investigational autologous

cell therapies in late-stage clinical development for nasopharyngeal cancer and

classical Hodgkin lymphoma. Combining the unique properties of Virus-Specific T

cells (VSTs) and CD-30 Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CD30-CARs), Tessa is also

emerging with a new approach to cancer cell therapy through the development of

a novel, allogeneic platform technology. The platform holds potential for the

creation of off-the-shelf cell therapies against a variety of hematologic

malignancies and solid tumors.

Tessa's strategic partnerships with leading US academic centers and

manufacturing and supply chain capabilities across Asia and the United States,

have enabled the company to successfully deliver cell therapies on a global

scale, creating a fully integrated approach to the treatment of cancer.

For more information on Tessa, please visit www.tessatherapeutics.com.

Source: Tessa Therapeutics